Commenting the statement of Romanian PM on cyanide in gold mining

Comment by MEP Satu Hassi on the statement of Romanian Prime Minister on using cyanide in mining in Finland:

”I have been informed that the Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta has given very rosy picture of the use of cyanide in Finnish mines. His statements seem to be based on total misinformation.

First, there are tens of mines in Finland, but cyanide not used in 52 mines, but just in a few.
Second, the use of cyanide in Finnish gold mines has not been safe. Agnico-Eagle, the Canadian owner of the gold mine in Lapland, Kittilä, has been the most vocal proponent of using cyanide, and claimed that cyanide is used in a completely closed process. This has turned out to be false, in the waste water of the Kittilä Suurikuusikko mine, cyanide content has exceeded the permitted limit.
For Romanian people it might also be relevant to know that Finnish mines are not located in densely populated areas. E.g. in Kittilä there are more square kilometers that people, the population density of Kittilä is 0,78 people per square km.”

The statement of Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta, campaingning for opening of the highly controversial Rosia Montana mine, to which I reacted:

”I think we have a lot to learn from Finland, which has important resources they exploit, they dont have closed mines. They have 52 running mines, they do this operation with the highest environmental standards, using cyanide, but meeting the highest standards. I asked for technical support. ”